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Human Resources Management

Worker at computer

O*NET provides critical information on essential elements of job performance for:

  • employers/managers
  • employment interviewers
  • human resources personnel
  • professional and trade associations
  • industry associations
  • job development specialists
  • training facilitators
  • job analysts

O*NET is designed to be the nation's most comprehensive resource of occupational information, with a database system that includes 275 descriptors about each occupation. This in-depth data is available in O*NET OnLine, a Web-based application that provides user-friendly access to the O*NET database of occupational information. You can use the information in O*NET OnLine to:

  • develop effective job descriptions quickly and easily,
  • expand the pool of quality candidates for open positions,
  • define employee and/or job-specific success factors,
  • align organizational development with workplace needs,
  • refine recruitment and training goals, and
  • design competitive compensation and promotion systems.

The Summary Report in O*NET OnLine provides a quick overview of the most important variables involved in getting the work done. These "top of the list" items are from categories within O*NET's occupational classification structure:

  • Worker Characteristics (enduring traits that influence a person's performance on the job): Abilities, Interests, Work Styles, Work Values
  • Worker Requirements (attributes acquired through experience and/or education): Knowledge, Skills
  • Experience Requirements (training and experience needed): Job Zone; Education, Training, & Experience
  • Occupation Requirements (actual work performed on the job): Work Activities
  • Occupation Characteristics (labor market-related information): Wages & Employment
  • Occupation Specific Information (detailed elements of specific jobs): Tasks

If you want more than the occupational highlights found in a Summary Report, you can access the Details Report in O*NET OnLine for additional data and descriptions, or choose Custom Report to design a report focusing on particular areas based on user specified criteria.

Toolkit for Business

Business professionals who want to make the most of the information in O*NET Online can refer to the O*NET Toolkit for Business. This set of materials describes how to effectively use O*NET OnLine to aid in HR planning and employee reskilling and retention. It provides examples of effective personnel development strategies and easy-to-follow steps for creating accurate job descriptions.

The Job Description Writer external site is an online tool that uses O*NET data to help employers and human resource specialists write job descriptions. Users begin by selecting an occupation and are prompted to include statements about common skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities and work context to include in a job description. Users have the option to customize and save their final job description to their own computer.